According to a report in the Knoxville News Sentinel authorities Monday were searching the French Broad River for a 19-year-old woman whose burned-out car was found early Sunday morning just east of Newport.

"We're not confident that we're going to have a good outcome at this time," said Newport Police Chief Maurice Shults. "Our outlook is growing dim."

Megan Maxwell, who is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall and 115 pounds, had been driving a 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse that was found burning Sunday morning on U.S. Highway 25/70 by a passing off-duty Newport officer, Shults said.

Further investigation showed that Maxwell was still alive at 4:27 a.m., when she called a friend to let her know that she was leaving her father's home in Newport after checking in on him, Shults said.

Maxwell's car was found only a few feet from the river, and "some leads have indicated some activity at the river" before the car burned, Shults said.